World War II Honoree

Paul E. Birch

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Ingraham, Illinois

Honored By

Robert Medley Gatewood

ENLISTED FOR THE AIR CORPS ON SEPTEMBER 26, 1941 AT SCOTT FIELD, ILLINOIS. ATTENDED THE AIR CORPS TECHNICAL SCHOOL OF ARMAMENT AT LOWERY FIELD, COLORADO. BECAME AN AVIATION CADET AND WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED FROM THAT PROGRAM AT LOWERY FIELD ON MARCH 2, 1942 TO ACCEPT A COMMISSION AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT. ENTERED ACTIVE SERVICE AGAIN ON MARCH 3, 1942 AND TRAINED AS AN ARMAMENT AND CHEMICAL OFFICER. DEPARTED THE CONTINENTAL U.S. ON JULY 16, 1942 BOUND FOR PALESTINE. PARTICIPATED IN THE AIR OFFENSIVE EUROPE AND THE EGYPT-LIBYA, TUNISIA, SICILY, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO AND SOUTHERN FRANCE CAMPAIGNS. EARNED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, THE PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH ONE OAK LEAF CLUSTER, THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, THE AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH SEVEN BRONZE BATTLE STARS AND THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL. RETURNED TO THE U.S. ON OCTOBER 24, 1944. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AS A CAPTAIN FROM HEADQUARTERS, PAGE FIELD CCTS-F-SQ T, FORT MYERS, FLORIDA ON AUGUST 7, 1945 AT FORT SHERIDAN, ILLINOIS.